The Promise Party
by A Writer of Fact and Fiction
Summary: Following on from 'Weekend at Makochan's', this story takes place a week later. The girls hold a party at the shrine in honor of Ami and Ryo. This story is part six of my ongoing series about Usagi and her friends. Rated M for mature situations and a slight amount of underage drinking.
1. Chapter 1

PLEASE NOTE: Story is being reposted after accidental deletion by my evil younger brother...

Following on from 'Drive me Mercury' and 'Weekend at Mako-chan's', this story takes place a week later. The girls hold a party at the shrine in honor of Ami and Ryo.

I hadn't intended to write a trilogy, but my stories never seem to work out as planned! :)

Rated M for mature situations and underage drinking.

The Promise Party

Chapter 1:

Minako felt like she had been staring at her textbook for an eternity. The unending, mind-numbing paragraphs and those annoying little captions beneath paintings and sketches of long-dead emperors were becoming too much for the girl to bear. 'Everything is a blur' she thought. 'How is anyone supposed to remember all this?' Sighing audibly, she dropped her school book on the table and pushed it away. Still not satisfied, she reached out to the thick history book and flipped it closed with a thump.

Across the table, Ami looked up from her text on advanced something-or-other that Minako knew she would never comprehend in a million years. Peering at the blonde through round glasses, she asked, "What's the matter, Minako-chan?"

"I'm bored" came the reply, in a tone nearly as dry as the information the blonde had been trying to absorb. "Is this how we're supposed to spend the rest of our youth? Minna, we need to do something. Have some fun."

"But this _is_ fun" Ami replied. "I think it's wonderful to learn new things."

"You would say that, Ami-chan" Rei grumbled from her end of the table. "And maybe it is, for you. I think Minako-chan is right. We need a break."

"Rei-chan, this is important!" her studious friend insisted. "Good grades will help us a lot when we're older and go on to university."

"Do you really think we'll all become doctors or lawyers or something in ten years?" Rei gestured at Usagi, whose eyes were closed and head rested on her schoolbook as though it were a pillow. "Besides, we've been hitting the books so much these last few days, we need a little more _life_ in our lives."

"Well... what do you suggest?" Ami asked.

"I don't know. Something. Anything to break the monotony." Rei looked around the table and shrugged. "I'm open to suggestions."

Makoto had been staring off into space, and the chance to see that cute boy she had met outside Nerima brought her attention back to earth. "We could always do another weekend at my house. That last trip was fun."

"I'm sorry Mako-chan, but it's been less than a week and I for one am not quite ready to share the same house with Usagi again so soon." Further down the table, Usagi began to snore softly. "See what I mean?" Rei paused as the grating screech of a power tool somewhere outside the building permeated the room. "And it wouldn't be the same without Yuuichirou anyway. At least the repairs to the shrine roof will be finished tomorrow. I can't concentrate with all that noise!"

"Usagi-chan, do you have any ideas?" Makoto asked, giving the blonde a gentle nudge. Usagi mumbled incoherently and turned her head over on her paper pillow.

Like a bolt from the blue, an idea flashed into Minako's mind. "I know! Let's have a party!"

"What kind of party, Minako-chan?" Makoto asked.

Minako tapped a finger against her chin. "Umm... how about... something to celebrate Ami and Ryo's engagement? That would be appropriate."

"Minako-chan, technically we're not formally engaged yet" Ami pointed out. "Ryo-kun gave me a promise ring, not an engagement ring."

Minako waved the detail away. "It's _almost_ the same thing, Ami-chan. You and Ryo eventually will be engaged. Everyone knows that! We can just celebrate the big event a little earlier." Her eyes lit up as her mind ran with the idea. "We can call it... a Promise Party!"

Rei pondered the possibilities. "It has potential. We could even hold it here at the shrine this Saturday night."

"I'll make the food!" Makoto volunteered. "And Minako-chan can provide the entertainment."

"What do you think, Ami-chan?"

"I don't know. I wouldn't want to inconvenience anyone-"

"Sounds like a yes to me!" Minako cut her off. "Ami-chan, after driving us to the resort and to Mako-chan's house last weekend, it's time for you to relax and let your friends do the work. All you and Ryo have to do is show up and have a good time."

"Well... ok. If it's not too much trouble."

"Trouble? It'll be a blast!" Minako reached out and slapped her hand on the table. "Usagi-chan, wake up! We're having a party."

"A... party?" The sleeping blonde immediately sprung to life. _"Where? When? Will there be food? Can I bring Mamo-chan?"_

Makoto chuckled, "Now that Usagi is back from the dead, let's plan this thing!"

"There's just one little problem, Rei-chan" Minako suddenly realized. "Your grandfather may not approve."

"Leave Ojii-chan to me" Rei replied. "He's been going on for ages about visiting an old friend in Yokohama, and I'm sure I can convince him to go this weekend. The noisy repairs have been bothering him too, and he could use a little peace and quiet."

Minako gleefully rubbed her hands together. "In that case, let the fun begin!"

. . . . .

Saturday afternoon arrived, bringing an unseasonably warm breeze and clear blue skies to Tokyo. At the Hikawa shrine, Rei and Yuuichirou handled the usual stream of weekend visitors, answering questions and selling charms to the regulars and an occasional tourist. A box of colored streamers and party balloons sat alongside another of paper lanterns and other decorations in the miko's closet, waiting for the last visitor to leave for the day.

Minako soon appeared at the top of the steps, a karaoke machine in one hand and a cloth bag in the other. Rei walked over and helped her friend with the packages. Peering into the bag, she spotted two small bottles of clear liquid nestled in among a collection of music discs.

"Minako-chan, you brought alcohol?"

"I'm in charge of the entertainment, remember? I thought this may come in handy if the party isn't entertaining enough!" the blonde giggled.

"Minako-chan, in the name of all that is holy, _please_ keep that stuff far away from Usagi! The last thing we need tonight is a tipsy odango-atama!" The two girls carried the items into the shrine and walked back outside to find Yuuichirou chatting with Makoto.

"The ingredients you asked for are waiting in the kitchen, Mako-chan. Need any help with the food?"

"I've got it covered, Rei-chan. It'll only take me an hour to prepare the snacks." The brown-haired girl hurried inside the shrine's living area and happily got down to work in the kitchen.

Rei turned to her blonde friend. "Minako-chan, I need you to go into my room and start blowing up as many balloons as you can. They're in a box in my closet."

"I'm on it!"

Fifteen minutes later, Usagi came running up the steps, nearly out of breath. "Sorry I'm late, Rei-chan. I was waiting for Mamo-chan to pick me up, but he called and said he'll be busy at the university for at least another hour."

"You were waiting for a ride to the shrine? Usagi-chan, you live less than ten minutes away!" Rei shook her head. "At least you're here now. Go help Minako, she's in my bedroom."

Usagi nodded and began walking toward the shrine.

"Oh, and keep your hands off my new manga!"

Rei checked her watch and hurried over to her boyfriend who had just sold a charm to an elderly lady. "Yuuichirou-chan, we'll be closing in twenty minutes. You can get the stepladder and start hanging those strings of colored lights and the streamers after the last guest leaves. And please be careful!" She gave the teen a quick peck on the cheek and lowered her voice so nearby visitors wouldn't hear, whispering "Don't tire yourself out setting up the decorations. Save some energy for dancing with me later. And more for... you know."

"I'll have the energy of ten tigers, my love" he grinned.

"I think one should be enough, Yuuichirou-chan. Well... maybe two."

Rei smiled as she entered the shrine, deciding to check on the progress with the balloons. As she walked down the corridor, the sound of laughter came from behind her closed bedroom door. Frowning, she slid the door open only to find less than a dozen inflated balloons and two girls sitting side-by-side on her bed, the new manga opened between them. Usagi and Minako looked up, their eyes wide with shock. Usagi hastily grabbed for the manga in a feeble attempt to hide it behind her back, but misjudged her grip and ripped a page out of the book instead. Rei watched the loose page flutter to the floor near her feet.

_"Can't I trust you two with anything?"_ Rei yelled. "Where are all the balloons? And look at my new manga! I haven't even read it yet, and it's already ruined!"

"It's ok, Rei-chan" Minako murmured. "That page wasn't very interesting anyway-"

_"Shut up, both of you!"_ Rei seethed with anger, reaching for her damaged manga and tucking it under one arm. "I'll be back in a little while and when I am, I expect to see _every_ balloon blown up. _All of them._ Understand?"

Both blondes nodded silently and reached for balloons as the miko stormed out of her room.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

As evening came and with the decorations finally in place, Yuuichirou brought out a pair of folding tables while the girls set up chairs around the courtyard in front of the shrine. Makoto emerged from the kitchen with a large bowl of fruit punch and set it on one of the tables. Returning to the shrine, she reappeared with two large trays of snacks and playfully smacked Usagi's hand as the blonde reached for a sample. "Our guests of honor aren't here yet, Usagi-chan. I'm afraid you'll have to wait a little longer." Sulking, Usagi wandered over to where Minako was setting up the karaoke machine. Minako plugged in the power cord and switched on the unit which sat on a table next to the punch bowl.

"Can I try that?" Usagi turned the volume control up high and yelled into the microphone, _"Rei-chan, can you hear me?"_ Above her head, two black birds squawked in alarm and fled from their perch on the shrine's roof toward the safety of a nearby elm tree.

"I can hear you too well even without a microphone, Usagi-chan! Keep it down, that annoying voice of yours is scaring my crows."

_"Gomen nasai!"_ came the blaring reply, followed by _"Mamo-chan!"_ Usagi quickly dropped the microphone and rushed over to greet her boyfriend. "I was getting worried, Mamo-chan!" she said as she squeezed him tightly. "What kept you?"

"I had to finish an assignment, Usako." The young man kissed his girlfriend and grinned at the petite blonde in his arms. "Were you afraid you wouldn't have anyone to dance with?"

"Not anymore!" Usagi replied, her eyes sparkling with joy.

"Usagi _dancing?_" Rei said as she approached the couple. "That's a scary thought, Mamoru-san. Maybe I should wear a pair of those heavy boots the shrine repair people had on. Then my feet won't hurt so much when Usagi tramples them."

"That's not true, Rei-chan! I'll have you know I happen to be a good dancer. I've had practice!" Usagi replied smugly.

"Oh really, Usagi-chan? I was watching you at that finishing school we crashed, remember? You dance like an octopus having a seizure."

Usagi stuck out her tongue. "You're just jealous! Anyway, with Mamo-chan leading me, the slow dances will be a lot easier."

Rei leaned closer to Mamoru. "I think there's an old pair of crutches in the storage room if you need them later, Mamoru-san. You probably will."

"Rei-chan, stop picking on me or I won't talk to you ever again!" Usagi glowered at the miko.

"You keep promising me that, but I always get my hopes dashed the next time you open your mouth."

'Not again!' Mamoru thought, feeling his stomach tighten. "Girls, remember tonight is all about Ami and Ryo. Let's put our differences aside and celebrate with them, ok?"

"I'll try" Usagi said. "As long as little miss Evil-chan over there leaves me alone."

Yuuichirou walked over to the trio, having just changed into regular clothing. "Konbanwa, Chiba-san. Rei-chan, Ami just called. She and Ryo are on their way over and should be here soon."

"Perfect" Rei replied. 'Ai wa Katsu' began playing from the karaoke machine, Minako having decided a little background music was needed. "Yuuichirou-chan, I'm going to go change out of my miko clothing and into something a little more appropriate."

"Can I help?" Yuuichirou grinned hopefully.

Rei laughed, "Later my love. Right now would you mind fixing that bulb over there?" She pointed to one of the strings of lights that Yuuichirou had strung from the shrine. "It's flickering."

"As you wish, my sweet." Yuuichirou gave his girlfriend an exaggerated bow and went to retrieve the stepladder. After setting it up near the troublesome light, he unplugged the extension cord that connected the lights and karaoke machine to the shrine and made his way up the ladder. Mamoru steadied the stepladder for him as he climbed to the third rung.

Sitting in one of the chairs, Usagi suddenly noticed that Makoto had turned her back on the snacks and was instead having a quiet but animated discussion with Minako. Her eyes darted from side to side, and finding everyone else preoccupied, she rose from her seat and slunk toward the food table.

"Minako-chan, you're insane!" Makoto kept her voice as low as she could. "You can't put alcohol in my punch. I won't allow it!"

"But Mako-chan, what if the party gets dull later? I'm not talking about adding a lot, just a little to liven people up a bit. You know, get everyone talking and dancing."

Behind Makoto, Usagi crept ever closer to her goal. The snack table with its bounty of delicious finger food was nearly within her reach. 'Just two more steps' she thought, licking her lips with anticipation.

Makoto stood firm. "Minako-chan, you're not spiking my punch and that's final!" Folding her arms defiantly, she turned away from the disappointed blonde and back toward the food table just as Usagi picked up three pieces of kabocha. Panicking, Usagi quickly stuffed them all in her mouth.

"Usagi-chan! Are you trying to steal snacks again?" Makoto sighed. "I told you we have to wait until Ami and Ryo are here. If you start eating now, there won't be enough left for everyone later on."

Her mouth completely full, Usagi could only smile back and try to look innocent. Her cheeks bulged from the sugary squash pieces and Makoto glared suspiciously at her friend. "Usagi-chan, why the goofy look?"

"Mmmmnnm?"

_"Usagi-chan you little thief!_ Get out of here right now!" Makoto shooed the blonde away. "If this keeps up I'll be spending the entire night in the kitchen!"

Yuuichirou unscrewed the flickering bulb and checked its socket. Spying a piece of dirt inside, he tried getting it out with a finger as Minako walked over to the now-silent karaoke machine. 'What's wrong with this thing?' she wondered. She quickly spotted the problem. 'Oh, the plug fell out of the wall. I can fix that!' She went to the shrine and plugged the extension cord back in.

_"Aahhh!"_ Yuuichirou flew off the ladder as a spark of electricity zapped his finger. Mamoru tried to catch him and both teens toppled to the ground just as Rei returned to the courtyard.

"Yuuichirou-chan, I asked you to be careful!" Rei scolded him as she rushed over and helped both boys to their feet. "What are you trying to do, electrocute yourself?"

Still weak from the shock, the young apprentice gasped, "I don't understand what happened, Rei-chan!" His hair stuck up comically in all directions. "I unplugged the wire."

Rei's eyes followed the cord to find Minako standing red-faced at the other end of it, grinning sheepishly. "I'm so sorry!"

_"You idiot! Are you trying to kill my boyfriend?"_ Rei screamed at the blonde. "Next time please look before you do something stupid!"

Mamoru dusted himself off as Usagi ran up. "Mamo-chan, are you ok?"

"I think we're both fine, Usako. Luckily, Yuuichirou-chan didn't catch the full force of the charge."

Rei put an arm around her unsteady boyfriend and escorted him into the shrine. "You'll need to change your pants, the seat's all dirty. And comb that hair." She glared angrily at Minako as they walked past. "Baka!"

Minako sat quietly in a chair, trying to keep out of further trouble as Ami and Ryo arrived at the party. "Ryo-kun, everything looks so nice!" The smiling couple noticed a large cardboard sign hanging above the door, two interlocking red hearts with their names on them, and paper lanterns on each side. "Minna, thank you for this! It must have been a lot of work."

"No trouble at all" Makoto replied over the music which had begun playing again. "We want to give you two love birds an evening you'll never forget."

"I'm sure we won't, Mako-chan" Ami said, not realizing how true her words would turn out to be.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

The autumn sky began to darken above seven friends who danced and chatted beneath multicoloured lights, sharing in Ami and Ryo's happiness and the young couple's promise of love. A song finished, and Rei suggested "Minako-chan, I think it's time for something a little slower and more romantic."

"Only if I can cut in!" Minako replied with a grin as she changed disks in the player. Her earlier electrical blunder had been grudgingly forgiven and the party had started without further mishap.

"Well... I guess you can dance with Yuuichirou a little" Rei said testily, "if you promise me you won't try to kill him again." At the center of the group, Ami and Ryo swayed gracefully to the music as they gazed, infatuated, into one another's eyes.

Makoto appeared beside Usagi and Mamoru and the blonde reluctantly permitted the brown-haired girl to dance with her boyfriend. "But keep your distance!" Usagi warned, producing a chuckle from Mamoru.

"I don't think she trusts us, Mako-chan."

Rei casually took a seat beside Usagi and watched the others dance. "You know something, Usagi-chan? Those two would make a really cute couple."

"I agree, Rei-chan. Yuuichirou and Minako do look nice together."

"I wasn't talking about _them_, Usagi-chan. I meant Mako-chan and Mamoru."

_"Nani?"_ Usagi blurted. "Don't be ridiculous! There's only one girl for my Mamo-chan, and you happen to be talking to her!"

Rei shook her head. "I'm not so sure" she teased. "Just look at the big smile they both have. And they dance so well together too." Makoto's natural poise and grace brought out the best in her partner and Usagi looked on, her jealously rising.

Usagi abruptly leapt from her chair and glared at the miko. "What are you implying, Rei-chan? Are you saying my Mamo-chan would be better off with _her_ than with _me?_"

"Will you calm down, Usagi-chan! That's not what I meant at all. I was just thinking that Mako-chan seems like a really good match for your boyfriend. You'd better hope she never realizes that and decides to start chasing after him someday." Rei smiled innocently and waited for Usagi's expected reaction.

It didn't take long to come. _"Ohhh!_ That's it! I'm ending their dance _right now!_" Usagi hurried over and tapped Makoto on the arm. "Excuse me Mako-chan, but I think it's my turn again."

"But we've only just started-" Makoto began to protest but the jealous blonde would have none of it. Usagi tunneled her way between the pair and grabbed Mamoru's hand.

"I'm back, my love!" she blurted. At that instant the music went silent as the disc reached its end. Usagi spun around and yelled at Minako, who was heading toward the karaoke player. "Play another song! _Now!"_

"Sure, Usagi-chan. What kind would you-"

"I don't care! Just play something!" Usagi ordered. Minako grabbed the nearest disc and 'Sweet Soul Revue' soon filled the air.

"What's wrong with Usagi-chan?" Makoto asked Rei. "She's acting weird."

"I don't have the slightest idea" Rei replied, hiding a smile.

"Now that my brief dance with Mamoru seems to be over, I guess I may as well go whip up a little more food. Most of the snacks are gone already."

As Makoto headed toward the kitchen and the other teens complimented Ami and Ryo on their dancing, Minako reached under the table and into her cloth bag. Opening one of the bottles she had brought, she poured half of it into the punch. After checking to make sure she hadn't been noticed, she quickly added a little more then hid the bottle back in her bag. 'Usagi has already had a ton of punch so she won't be back for more any time soon' Minako reasoned, 'but Rei-chan hasn't and she's been uptight and grumpy toward me all evening. Maybe this will mellow her out a little!' Like a witch stirring her cauldron, Minako grabbed an empty cup and sloshed the concoction around to mix it, grinning evilly all the while.

As the song ended, Usagi began feeling pangs of guilt about how she had behaved toward Makoto and followed her into the kitchen to apologize.

. . . . .

"Ami-chan, you and Ryo make the perfect couple" Rei said to the blue-haired girl and the boy sitting beside her. "It even shows in how well you dance together. It's like you've known each other all your lives."

"Thank you, Rei-chan" the shy girl blushed at the compliment. "It really does feel that way too." She squeezed her boyfriend's hand softly. "My life would be so empty without my Ryo-kun." The music started up again and Rei took Yuuichirou's hand. "Joining us on the dance floor?"

"I think I'll sit this one out, Rei-chan" Ami replied. "My throat is a little dry."

Minako noticed Ami and Ryo sitting quietly and walked up to them. "This looks like the ideal time to steal Ryo away from you for a few minutes, Ami-chan. I promise to bring him back in one piece!" Ryo graciously accepted the blonde's invitation to dance while Ami relaxed and watched them for a few moments. Feeling quite thirsty, she stood up and headed toward the refreshment table.

Half way through the song, Minako glanced over Ryo's shoulder and spotted Ami standing at the punch bowl, a cup in her hand. _"No!"_ she gasped, her eyes widening in horror.

Puzzled, Ryo asked "Pardon me, Minako-chan. Is something wrong?"

"Please excuse me, Ryo-chan!" She dashed to the table. _"Ami-chan, don't drink that!"_

Ami looked at the nearly empty cup in her hand, then at the panicked blonde. "What's wrong with the punch, Minako-chan? It tastes fine. A little different than the last time Mako-chan made it, but it's really quite delicious."

_"No it's not!_ It's... It's too old! It's gone stale! I'll have Mako-chan make you a fresh batch. It'll only take a minute." She took the cup from Ami's hand and poured what was left into the nearly empty bowl, then scooped the bowl into her arms and rocketed off. Ami stood with a perplexed look on her face as Ryo walked up behind her.

"Ami-chan, why is Minako acting so strangely?"

"I'm not sure, Ryo-kun. She was concerned about the punch and took it away. It tasted fine to me, and I had two whole cups. Perhaps she's having what the other girls call a 'Minako moment'.

. . . . .

Inside the kitchen, Makoto stopped adding snacks to the half-empty tray and glared at Usagi. "Usagi-chan, please stop eating until I'm done filling the tray. Every time I add two pieces, you eat one of them!"

Usagi looked up at the taller girl with sad, puppy-dog eyes. "I can't help myself, Mako-chan. Your food is so good! You make the best snacks in the world."

"Flattery will get you nowhere. If you don't mind, I'd like to finish this and get back to the party before it's over. So," Makoto placed her hands on her hips, "please leave the kitchen right now, or no more snacks for you tonight!"

_"No more?_ I"m going, Mako-chan! Right away!" Usagi hurried outside, only to watch Minako tear past with the punch bowl in her hands.

Minako ran to the kitchen and dumped the last of the tainted punch into the sink. "Mako-chan, we have a problem!"

"What have you done now?" Makoto sighed. She eyed the bowl suspiciously. _"Minako-chan, you didn't!"_

Her friend nodded glumly. "There wasn't much left and I was hoping Rei would finish it, but Ami got to it first."

_"Ami-chan?"_ Makoto groaned. Her voice became grim. "You've really done it this time, Minako-chan. Maybe you should catch the next bus out of Tokyo. Because if Ami starts behaving oddly and Ryo finds out what you did, leaving town may be the safest thing you can do."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

"So what am I supposed to do now?" Minako asked.

Makoto rinsed out the bowl. "It was you that got us into this mess. I think it's only fair that you should be the one responsible to watch over Ami. Have her sit down if she gets wobbly, keep her calm and quiet, and try not to let Ryo find out just how stupid you were tonight."

"Ok. I think I can handle that. Mako-chan, would you make more punch? If I can get her to drink more, it might weaken the effects of what she's already had."

"I'll refill the bowl and bring it out in a minute" Makoto nodded. "Go check on Ami."

Minako left the living quarters and was half way back to the front of the shrine when she saw Usagi coming the other way, an object in one hand. The two blondes met under a pathway lamp and the object Usagi carried revealed itself to be one of the two small bottles from the cloth bag. To Minako's surprise, it was empty.

"Minako-chan," Usagi said, "I was looking for more music to play and I found this juice in your bag with the discs. You took all the punch away and I was still thirsty, so I finished the one you had already opened. I hope you don't mind."

"Usagi-chan, didn't you read the label before drinking it?" Minako gasped.

"It was too dark, Minako-chan. I couldn't see it clearly. Anyway, you should thank me for getting rid of that horrible juice. It didn't taste very good and it burned my tongue!"

Minako felt as though she had just fallen off a cliff and was plunging toward certain doom. Taking the empty bottle from Usagi, she asked, "How do you feel, Usagi-chan? Are you ok?"

"I'm hungry."

Minako breathed a sigh of relief. "Usagi-chan, do me a favor. Go have a seat in front of the shrine and wait for me there, ok? I'll be right back with more punch. And please don't touch anything else in that bag!"

Usagi nodded and Minako dashed back into the kitchen. Makoto had just refilled the punch bowl and was about to carry it outside when the blonde entered and looked at her with an expression somewhere between crazed and sheer panic. "Mako-chan, we've got another problem!"

The brown-haired girl's shoulders drooped and Makoto sighed heavily. "What is it this time, Minako-chan? Wait, don't tell me. Let me guess. You blew up the karaoke machine. Or maybe you set the shrine on fire. Oh, I know! You finally killed Yuuichirou. Is that it?"

"Usagi drank part of a small bottle of vodka. She thought it was something else."

The room went silent for a moment. "Well isn't that lovely." Makoto sounded numb, as though she couldn't absorb even one more piece of bad news.

"Mako-chan, I need help out there! If I watch over Ami, can you keep an eye on Usagi for me? I'd really appreciate it!"

"Come on then, take that snack tray and let's get back to the party before something else goes wrong." Makoto picked up the full punch bowl and the pair headed outside. "Minako-chan, the next time I agree to one of your ideas, please shoot me. It'll be less painful."

. . . . .

Taking a break from dancing, the five people at the front of the Hikawa shrine sat and chatted as they waited for Minako and Makoto to rejoin them. Sitting between Ryo and Usagi, Ami began fanning herself with a hand. "Usagi-chan, is it just me or is it getting warmer out here?" Usagi stared back at the girl and suddenly giggled.

"What's so funny, Usagi-chan?"

"I... I don't know. Say Ami-chan, do you feel warm?"

The last two teens appeared and walked briskly to the refreshment tables. From her seat across the improvised dance floor, Rei's curiosity grew as she watched Makoto replace the refilled punch bowl on a table, reach underneath for Minako's cloth bag and promptly carry it to a nearby trash bin. Minako followed her and seemed to object to Makoto's intended action, but Makoto ignored the blonde and covertly disposed of a single small bottle. She folded the now-empty bag in half and handed it back to Minako.

Realizing the second bottle was missing, Rei scrambled to her feet. _'Those idiots!'_ Rei steamed. _'They've spiked the new punch!'_ The miko hurried over to the bowl and took it into her arms as Minako and Makoto continued their subdued argument beside the trash.

"You can't just throw it away when it's full like that, Mako-chan! What if some little kid finds it?"

"Minako-chan, how often do you see little kids digging through trash bins in a Shinto shrine? That stuff has caused enough trouble tonight and now it's gone. Now, let's go get Usagi and Ami to drink some of the good punch and dilute..." Her words faded to silence as she turned back toward the table in time to see Rei rush off with the bowl of fresh punch.

"What on earth is she doing? _Rei-chan, wait!"_ The miko ignored Makoto's call and instead increased her speed. "Minako-chan, go check on your two victims. I'll try to stop Rei, that's the last of the punch!" Makoto broke into a run and charged after the fleeing shrine maiden, while Minako hurried toward Ami and Usagi.

While everyone else watched the impromptu chase unfold, Usagi turned to her blue-haired friend. "Ami-chan, I don't know what's going on, but isn't it exciting?" Ami smiled back and nodded, her eyes slightly glazed.

As Rei neared the living quarters she could hear footsteps gaining fast from behind. Makoto's voice rang out, "Rei-chan, where are you going with that punch? We need it!"

_"I bet you do!"_ Rei scoffed as she elbowed the kitchen door open. "I won't let you two get Usagi drunk. She's bad enough to be around when she's sober!" Makoto was but a single step behind when the miko reached the sink, and groaned as Rei upended the bowl in triumph. "There! I just prevented a disaster. You can thank me later." The last of the punch disappeared down the drain with a muted gurgle.

"How much coffee do you keep at the shrine?" Makoto asked.

"Why, do you want to spike that too?" Rei sneered.

Makoto quickly explained what had happened to Ami and Usagi and Rei clenched her hands, growing angrier by the second. _"That idiot!_ Do you know what Minako is? I'll tell you! _She's toast!"_

Makoto placed a hand firmly on the miko's shoulder to restrain her as Rei tried to leave the kitchen. "Getting mad at Minako won't solve anything, Rei-chan. We need her to watch over Usagi and Ami and help them stay out of trouble. They certainly can't go home in this condition."

"Fine. I'll kill her later."

"And please don't tell the boys what happened, it will only upset them. Don't worry about getting revenge on Minako, she's in enough trouble with me already!" Makoto began making coffee as Rei tried to think of a way to bring the party to an uneventful end.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5:

Standing beside the karaoke machine, Mamoru waited for Rei and Makoto to rejoin the party. Usagi suddenly sprang from her chair and stood beside him, giving her boyfriend a lopsided smile. "Mamo-chan, let's sing together!" Picking up the microphone, Usagi launched into song, with the resulting off-key sound bringing Rei on the run from the kitchen.

_"What's wrong?"_ Rei looked around. "Oh, it's just Usagi-chan making that horrible screech. I thought someone stood on a cat's tail!"

Usagi abruptly stopped her performance and stomped over to Rei, the microphone still tightly clenched in her hand. The tightening cord dragged the karaoke machine to the edge of the table and Mamoru lunged for the cord and unplugged it with the music player teetering on the brink of destruction.

Usagi waved the disconnected microphone in her miko friend's face "Listen, you... you... shrine person! Let me finish my song, ok?"

"Is _that_ what that racket was? Usagi-chan, please sit down, you can annoy the neighborhood some other time." Rei steered the girl to a chair and Usagi reluctantly plopped into it.

"Fine. But I still want to sing later."

Mamoru waved Ami and Ryo up from their seats. "And now it's time to give the happy couple a chance to tell us about their plans for their future together." Ryo took Ami's hand in his and escorted her to the front of the small gathering.

He asked his love, "Do you want me to go first, Ami-chan?"

His blue-haired girlfriend smiled sweetly back at him. "Ryo-kun, I think you're really sexy!"

_"Nani?"_ Ryo blushed, lowering his voice to a whisper. "Ami-chan, please don't say things like that in front of everyone! It's really embarrassing!"

"But it's _true_, my Ryo-kun. You are the sexiest man in the world!" Ami continued, as Mamoru and Rei exchanged worried glances. She leaned snugly against her boyfriend and giggled, "Do you want to... go study?"

Ryo instantly turned beet red. "Ami-chan, this isn't like you at all! Are you sure you're feeling ok?"

"Rei-chan, can we borrow your bedroom?" Ami asked. "Just for a little while."

"What? _No!"_ Rei gasped. "I mean... Ami-chan, you're not-"

_"Take me, my Ryo-kun! I'm yours!"_ The blue-haired girl threw her arms around her boyfriend and smothered him with a passionate kiss.

Mamoru was stunned at Ami's actions and he quickly walked over to the miko. "Rei-chan, what's wrong with Ami tonight? She's never behaved like this before."

Rei whispered a quick explanation in his ear and Mamoru frowned, casting a stern glare at Minako. "I should have known you were behind this." Minako hung her head in silent shame.

Usagi growled at her boyfriend, "What's going on over there? Rei-chan, are you trying to take my Mamo-chan away from me?_ I won't stand for it!"_ She stood up, teetering unsteadily as she pointed at the shrine maiden and raised her voice. "In the name of the Moon, I'll... I'll... do something!" The blonde collapsed back into her seat.

"What a nightmare!" Mamoru groaned as Makoto hurried to the group, a large thermos of coffee in hand. "Minako-chan, I'd like a word with you later, after we fix this mess."

Makoto quickly filled two cups with coffee. "Here, Mamoru-san, give this to Ami and Usagi. Maybe it will help."

Ami took the offered cup and sipped the strong liquid, then turned her attention back to her confused boyfriend. "We really should study more often, Ryo-kun." Ryo looked at Mamoru pleadingly, panic in his eyes.

"Have her finish her coffee, Ryo-chan" Mamoru suggested. "It appears Ami and Usagi are... under the influence."

_"Ami-chan is drunk?"_ Ryo gasped. He dragged a chair over and gently eased his girlfriend into it.

"I don't want to sit down, Ryo-kun. I want to make love to you!" Ami clung tightly to her boyfriend's waist.

Makoto couldn't help but grin despite the situation. "Our shy little Ami will never live this down!"

"Minna, I'm really sorry" Minako apologized. "It was an accident. That punch was intended for Rei."

"Oh, so it was _me_ you were trying to make look silly, was it?" Rei fumed. "Minako-chan, you've really gone too far this time! Even for you, this is a new low!"

"Stop picking on her!" Usagi blurted. "You're always finding fault, Rei-chan! Why are you so mean to everyone?"

"Usagi-chan, be quiet and drink your coffee."

"Don't you dare tell me to be quiet!" Usagi walked over to Rei, sloshing coffee onto the ground. "I'm allowed to say what I want!"

"Usako, please!" Mamoru tried to pull Usagi away from the miko but the blonde dug in her heels.

"I'm not going anywhere until Rei-chan apologizes!" Usagi insisted.

"Apologize? What for?" The two girls stared at each other.

_"For being so miserable!_ That's what!" Usagi yelled.

Yuuichirou and Mamoru finally separated the feuding girls. "Everyone please calm down and try not to say anything you may regret later" Mamoru said. "Remember, we're all friends here."

"I'm not so sure about that, Mamo-chan."

"I'd better tell them" Rei said. She and Makoto took seats beside the two girls. "Listen, you aren't yourselves right now. You both drank alcohol and it's affecting your behavior."

"We did?" Ami asked. "I've never had a drink before."

Makoto laughed, "And after you realize what happened tonight, you may never want to again, Ami-chan."

"Did I do something bad, Mako-chan?" Ami asked innocently. "I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it. Drink as much coffee as you can and the fresh air will help you get back to normal too. Then you can go home and rest. You'll feel better in the morning."

"I feel just fine" Usagi insisted.

Rei shook her head. "Usagi-chan, I don't think you'll ever be normal, with or without the alcohol."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6:

At the Hikawa Jinja, the next afternoon:

Rei and Minako looked up as a door slid open and their three female friends and Urawa Ryo entered the room. "Minna konnichiwa!" Usagi greeted the waiting girls, seeming no worse for wear after the previous night's misadventure.

"I'm impressed, Usagi-chan" Rei said, checking her watch. "You actually turned up on time. That's a first."

Taking their usual places around the table, Ami and Ryo immediately opened textbooks and immersed themselves in their lessons. Rei reached behind her back for the joined-hearts decoration she had made for the couple's party and placed it on the table. "I thought you may like to keep this. If you don't want it, I'll understand."

Ami looked up and smiled appreciatively. "Arigatou, Rei-chan. Of course we will keep it, and we want to thank everyone for all the work you did for our party." The blue-haired girl took the decoration and placed it on the floor beside her book bag.

"Don't mention it. It was no trouble at all" Rei replied, glancing at Minako. "Well, hardly any trouble!"

"Ami-chan, Ryo-chan, I want to apologize again for last night. If you have any unpleasant memories, please blame me. I take full responsibility for what happened" Minako said sincerely.

Puzzled, Ami asked, "Minako-chan, I'm not sure what you mean. Ryo and I had a great time, though we danced so much my feet are still a little tired."

"You don't remember?" Rei asked, surprised and more than a little relieved. "You honestly can't recall what happened last night?"

"I know we danced a lot, and talked, and ate some of Mako-chan's delicious food" Ami replied. "And I remember getting really thirsty. After that... Ryo-kun walked me home. Why do you ask, Rei-chan? Did something else happen?"

"Oh. Uh... no, nothing worth mentioning. If Ryo-chan didn't tell you, then it wasn't very important."

"Rei-chan, what about the alco-" Minako quickly reached her hand out and covered Usagi's mouth. _"What was that for?"_ Usagi asked, pushing the hand away.

"Usagi-chan, some things are better left unsaid." Minako winked at her, wondering how much she remembered about the evening.

"Oh! I understand!" Usagi nodded. "Silly me! Nothing happened at all, Ami-chan. And if it did, I can't remember it either. Except for the part where we both got drunk."

_"Nani?"_ The textbook fell from Ami's hands onto the table.

Rei's forehead dropped into the palm of her hand. "Usagi-chan, will you ever learn to _keep your big mouth shut?"_

"I'm sorry, ok? I won't say any more."

Ami's face was pale. "Usagi-chan, what is all this about us getting... _drunk?"_

"Oh nothing." Flustered, the odangoed blonde looked innocently toward the ceiling. "I can't remember much either, so it wasn't a big deal, Ami-chan." She giggled, "though it was funny when you asked Rei if you could borrow her bedroom so you and Ryo could... study."

Red-faced, Ami stood up. "Are you making this up to tease me? Because it's not funny." She looked at the faces of the other girls only to see every one of them hastily stare down at their school books.

"Nice going, odango-atama!" Rei grumbled. "Why can't you remember your schoolwork as well as you remember other things?"

Ami turned to her boyfriend. "Ryo-kun, is this true? Why didn't you say anything?"

"Uh... well... I thought that was something you wouldn't want to remember, my love" the boy grinned sheepishly.

_"Oh!"_ Ami sat back down and buried her face in her arms. _"I'm so embarrassed!"_

Makoto patted her on the shoulder. "It's ok. Like Mamoru said yesterday, we're all friends here. We won't mention it again." She glared at Usagi. _"Will we?"_

Usagi held a finger to her lips. "Not another word, Mako-chan. I promise."

"Baka! You've already said too much as it is" Rei scolded her.

"There is one thing I should mention, Rei-chan" Makoto suddenly remembered. "You're all out of coffee."

A groan came from Ami, her face still hidden in her arms. "Now I remember! I remember_ everything!"_

"Look on the bright side, Ami-chan" Minako said. "Everyone had fun, well at least for a while, and I think that makes your Promise Party a success."

"I'm truly sorry I didn't tell you earlier, Ami-chan" Ryo said.

Ami looked up at her boyfriend. "That's quite all right, my Ryo-kun." The shy, studious girl smiled in spite of her embarrassment and she softly kissed him on the cheek. "I still think you're really sexy."

. . . . . . . . . .


End file.
